In Blackwater Woods
To live in this world
you must be able
to do three things:
to love what is mortal;
to hold it
against your bones knowing
your own life depends on it;
and, when the time comes to let it go,
to let it go.
Mary Oliver
From the blog
Blessing for the Brokenhearted
What if I told you that by avoiding going deep and walking through the darkness of heartbreak, you only take yourself further and further away … Continue reading Blessing for the Brokenhearted
Construction Site
When we begin to emerge back into the world after grief has struck, we become aware that we cannot emerge alone. A lifeline comes to … Continue reading Construction Site
Stardust
Stardust comes to Earth in our bones and blood breath and being. In loss and love and mercy and cruelty scarring so deep, they carve … Continue reading Stardust
Earth’s Desire
If your heart is heavy, if you feel exhausted from it all, plant your fingers in the soil of our Mother Earth, breathe in her … Continue reading Earth’s Desire
Blessing for Coming Home to an Empty House
I realized that I had not posted much lately. I am in the homerun stretch of graduating from the apprenticeship program at The Guild for … Continue reading Blessing for Coming Home to an Empty House
Power of Beauty
Beauty has the power to heal us. The divine beauty of nature can heal us. Beauty of a flower, of moonlight over the ocean, of … Continue reading Power of Beauty
The Thing Is
When the darkness of despair finally gives way to that small sliver of light, I pull my eyes upward toward the source of the light … Continue reading The Thing Is
Haiku Poetry of Grief and Gratitude
I have rediscovered Haiku poetry, a Japanese form of short poetry. In the English language, Haiku is written according to the number of syllables: Three … Continue reading Haiku Poetry of Grief and Gratitude
The Thread
What do I know of how to forge a path forward as the world is once again swept away in the wave of war? What … Continue reading The Thread
Bare
This feeling of grief after a loss, I feel is a sacred time. I have vowed to let myself feel the depths of this pain. … Continue reading Bare
What I Wish I Could Say
I wrote the following journal entry in January of 2020 a few days after my dog Lola died, and a couple of months before the … Continue reading What I Wish I Could Say
Perennial
Perhaps the greatest giftis to die a little each day. To love what death can touch. The losses innumerableon this world where grief is perennial. … Continue reading Perennial
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About Me
My name is LaNell, and I am a caregiver to an elderly parent, a lover of mother earth and all of her flora and fauna, and a seeker of the spiritual in my daily life.
About This Site
In addition to caring for our elders, I believe that caregiving includes our sacred duty to care for the planet, animals, and all life on this living Earth.
Caregiver's Journal 